Wedding Welcome
by wideopeneyes
Summary: Rikku and Gippal get married in traditional Al Bhed style.


"I can't _believe_ that those two are late for their own wedding," Yuna said incredulously. "We've been here almost an hour, already. Where _are_ they?"

Paine watched Yuna fidget, smiling. "I forgot you'd never been to an Al Bhed wedding ceremony," she said. "They're going to be a while. It's tradition."

"Tradition? It's traditional to be late to your own wedding?" Yuna echoed incredulously.

"They're not technically _late_," Paine said. "There's no actual exchanging of vows in an Al Bhed wedding. It's pretty much just a huge party. Only, we're supposed to start it out for them. See, when an Al Bhed couple gets married, they first declare their intention to marry, and ask their relatives and close friends to welcome them as a couple. You see," she said, pointing to the large double doors of the reception hall, "they'll walk through that door together. Then they'll ask all those who have been married to welcome them as a couple. Technically, _we_ marry them by welcoming them."

"We just...welcome them? How does that work? What do the people who haven't been married do?" Yuna glanced curiously around. Everyone seemed so relaxed and happy - it wasn't at all the solemn affair she'd expected. She'd definitely been confused when there had been no altar and no seating of any sort.

"Those who haven't been married before simply congratulate them. There's actually a sort of order to this, so pay attention, okay? Family goes first, starting with the bride's side. That means Cid'll be first, and you and Tidus will be second. Gippal's family will follow," Paine said.

"What about Brother?"

"He's not married; he'll be the first to offer his congratulations after all those who've been married have gone."

"And everyone actually remembers this?" Yuna's eyebrows rose.

"It's not something you really forget," Paine said. "It may not be the holy affair that Yevonite's weddings are, but Al Bhed ceremonies are special. _We're_ as much a part of their wedding as _they_ are. Al Bhed weddings are for everyone, not just for the couple getting married. It's amazing. You'll see."

--

"Are you ready?" Gippal tucked a stray lock of hair behind Rikku's ear. "I'll bet we could still make it out of here without getting seen," he teased.

"Are you kidding?" She laughed. "Vydran would _kill_ me. He thought we'd _never_ get married."

"Are you nervous?" He linked their fingers, kissing her knuckles.

"A little," she admitted. "Last night I had this nightmare that Vydran wouldn't welcome us, and-"

He stopped the flow of worried words with two fingers. "Cid loves you," he said. "Of course he'll welcome us."

"I know," she said. "It was just a stupid nightmare. Would you have rather eloped, or something? We could have gotten Baralai to marry us."

"Cid would never forgive me," he laughed. "And we'd be getting lectures from Yuna every couple of months or so about living in sin, or something."

"Oh, please. She lived with Tidus for six months before _they_ got around to getting married. She wouldn't _dare_." They laughed together for a moment, and he touched his forehead to hers.

"Let's do it, okay? The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can get back to Djose and start our honeymoon."

"You pervert!" She cried. "You just want your wedding night!"

"What can I say? You're sexy." He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Uh-oh. I think my mom just peeked out the window. We'd better get in there before they send out a search party. Ready?"

"Ready!"

"All right, let's do it!"

--

"They're here, they're here!"

"Everyone, get ready!"

Yuna grabbed Tidus' hand, dragging him behind her as she headed towards Cid, who placed his hand on her shoulder as everyone waited breathlessly.

The doors flew open finally, and Rikku and Gippal stood in the open doorway, hands clasped together, smiling happily.

"Please welcome us!" they said in unison as they bowed.

The crowded room erupted into a flurry of excited motion and sound. Friends and relatives vied for space around the couple, all wanting to be able to get a good look at the proceedings.

"Welcome," Cid said. Rikku threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, daddy," she said softly, kissing his cheek. "I love you."

Cid shook Gippal's hand, and then Rikku turned towards Yuna and Tidus.

"Welcome," they said together.

Rikku clasped Yuna's hands. "Thank you," she said, "It really means a lot to me that you two came." There were tears in Rikku's eyes, and Yuna wasn't surprised to find her own eyes tearing up. It wasn't every day that her beloved younger cousin got married, after all.

"Are you kidding?" Yuna swiped the tears away, laughing. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. My baby cousin, married. You'd better take care of her, Gippal."

"I will," he laughed, bending to kiss her cheek affectionately.

Tidus clapped Gippal on the back. "I know where to find you if you hurt her," he said cheerfully.

"Tidus!" Yuna admonished, but Rikku and Gippal were already moving on through the crowd of eager well-wishers. She couldn't help laughing a little as Gippal's mother chastized him for feeling Rikku up in front of a window where _anyone_ could have seen them.

"So?" Paine said, reappearing beside Yuna with a cup of punch. "It's different, huh?"

"A lot," Yuna mused. "But, I'm glad. It fits them."

"Yeah," Paine smiled. "You know, I really think it does. Don't look now, but they're sneaking out the back."

"_What_!" Yuna cried. "But they just got here! It hasn't even been ten minutes! Aren't you going to stop them?"

"It's tradition," Paine said. "We're supposed to pretend not to notice. We've done our bit, now we get to party. Have you had some of the cake? It's delicious."

--

"So, we're really married now." Gippal dumped Rikku onto the couch and collapsed down beside her. "Man, I'm beat."

"Suits me," she quipped. "We can save our wedding night for tomorrow."

"Did I say 'beat'? I meant mildly fatigued."

"You are _such _a pervert," she laughed.

"But you love me." He kissed her forehead.

"I wouldn't have married you if I didn't," she said.

"Did you want to stay longer? I didn't think about it, but you only get married once, and maybe you would've liked to stick around and dance a little or-"

"Nope." She wrinkled her nose. "I didn't need a fancy party. That's for show, a party to make them happy. Let _them_ celebrate until midnight. This is where I want to be," she said, cuddling up against his chest. "Here, with you."

He always went all mushy when she said stuff like that. "I love you," he said, threading his fingers through hers. "This was the happiest day of my life."

"Mine, too," she sighed. "D'you think we'll be this happy forever?"

"Nah," he said. "_Happier_. It only gets better from here."


End file.
